Baker’s Dozen New England Ski Resorts to Check Out in 2010
New England ski resorts have taken a financial battering in the last few years but this season has started out strong and here is our selection for 2010.
We polled all our staff writers for their favorites and picked a few from each New England skiing region. Included in our picks are family friendly resorts and a mixture of different terrains and destinations for thrill merchants who also want plenty of nightlife. There’s a New England ski resort for all types in this list and most are just a few hours away from major cities.
Connecticut Ski Resorts:
Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall out in the Litchfield Hills has been a tradition since 1947 and has 24 trails for skiing and snowboarding with snow making equipment and five chairlifts. And if tubing is your sport then head out to Woodbury Ski area for the largest snow tubing park in Connecticut and have fun with all the family. The resort is located near Waterbury.
Maine Ski Resorts:
Maine is home to some of New England’s premier ski resorts. If vertical is your game then head for Sugarloaf in the Carrabasett Valley with the only above-the-timber-line ski area in the east and take in the thrilling views on top of its 4,237-foot summit. Depending on conditions you can find 97+ trails open all levels. The Outdoor center offers snowshoeing and Nordic ski areas. Sugarloaf is close to Rangeley and is popular with the college crowd.
Maine’s other must-visit destination is Sunday River near Bethel. Bethel is a scenic town and centrally located for a number of Ski Mountains, but Sunday River ski resort is the largest with over eight peaks and 132 trails. This is a family oriented resort but there’s plenty of black diamonds and nighttime activity as well. Bethel is located close to the New Hampshire border.
Massachusetts Ski Resorts:
The Wachusett Mountain in Princeton is the largest ski facility in Massachusetts and offers varied domain and caters for all levels. They have an excellent ski school if you feel the urge to take a lesson.
At weekends this resort fills up fast so aim to get there early, or if you really don’t mind the cold then check out the night skiing.
Berkshires Hills in western part of the state always gets a good dosing of white stuff and here you can choose to ski at Berkshire East in Charlemont or Catamount Ski Area in South Egremont. Neither is big resorts – nor is the crowds – but they’re fun and you sure can get in a lot of runs in one day.
New Hampshire Ski Resorts:
The White Mountains in New Hampshire is home to outstanding ski resorts with Loon and Cannon on the western end of the Mount Washington Valley and Bretton Woods and Wildcat in the east. For breathtaking views of Mount Washington and some of the East’s most challenging trails head to Wildcat a few miles from North Conway.
Also within striking distance of North Conway is Bretton Woods, the largest ski resort in New Hampshire. Because of its proximity to Mount Washington it can be windy so check conditions before you leave. But when the weather is fine it’s a thrilling resort to ski and the nearby majestic Mount Washington Resort offers cross-country skiing, dog-sledding, and tubing – a great destination for families.
Located within Franconia Notch State Park Cannon Mountain boasts the first Ariel Tramway in North America, the original was installed in 1938. The ski area is also home to the New England Ski Museum. Cannon has over 70 trails and plenty of snowmaking capacity, and now includes the Mittersill ski area which is now serviced by the Cannon area.
Loon Mountain is another favorite ski resort south of Cannon in Lincoln on the western end of the Kancamagus Highway (Route 112). Loon is a smaller mountain than Cannon with over 40 trails, three peaks, and its popular gondola ride.
For more information on ski resorts in the Granite State check out our special New Hampshire Skiing section here.
Vermont Ski Resorts:
Vermont has many wonderful ski resorts but the two known the world over are Killington and Stowe. Both these resorts are world class an in the case of Stowe close to one of New England’s premier mountain villages.
Killington Ski Resort is in Central Vermont near Rutland and is spread out over six mountains all interconnected with high-speed gondolas, express quad chairs and numerous others lift and trail services. Killington gets an annual snow fall of 250” and coupled with their extensive snowmaking equipment skiing in early May is not uncommon.
The Killington resort complex has over 140 trails of diverse skiing terrain for all abilities.
Snuggled between two mountain ranges Stowe is reminiscent of an alpine village and maybe this is what lured Maria Von Trapp of “Sound of Music” fame to set her roots in this picturesque Vermont region. The Von Trapp lodge is open to the public for reservations and set on the side of Mt. Mansfield – the highest mountain in Vermont. The mountain is also the home of Stowe ski resort. Two mountain ski areas in one attract snowboarders and skiers alike, as well as cross-country trails. Spruce Peak is the smaller mountain and great for families and for finding your legs before heading over to the main ski trails on Mount Mansfield.
Before we leave Vermont I want to mention one more ski resort at Smuggler’s Notch – yes it’s a bonus for you. If you’re looking for a resort that caters specifically for families then this is it. Located in the Stowe region – although the mountain pass is closed in winter – this resort caters for fun for kids as well as adults and the dining choices and entertainment reflect this is well.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this selection for your 2010 winter ski season in New England and it gives you ideas for planning a winter getaway of skiing and snowboarding, or whatever is your sport.
You may also want to check out our favorite New England Getaways here which offer additional ideas and suggestions for non-winter sports destinations.
Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.
Cliff Calderwood
Publisher
New England Online Magazine
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Comment by Jed Smith on 6 January 2010:
I liked how you included a few from Connecticut but you did miss out a few beauties in New Hampshire at Waterville Valley – great place also for families and Attitash if you like thrills.
Jed Smith
Comment by Nick P on 7 January 2010:
Is there one of these resorts you’d recommend over the others for someone who’s very new to skiing? I don’t want to make a fool out of myself!
Comment by Cliff Calderwood on 7 January 2010:
Hi Nick,
The Massachusetts and Connecticut ski resorts listed are all good for new skiers. The ski programs and “bunny slopes” as they’re called are geared towards beginners, but they also have plenty of intermediate skiing as well. But to be honest you’ll find most of the resorts have plenty of easy slopes as well. I remember as a beginner/intermediate – too many years ago – there was plenty of skiing for my level at Killington and Bretton Woods.
A ski instructor once told me – if you’re not falling down then you’re not testing yourself enough. Just make sure when you go down its not into the woods or crashing into people. Skiing out of control is the number one cause of skiing fatalities.
Good Luck,
Cliff
Comment by George Watts on 8 January 2010:
Enjoyed your article and list.
Of course you may have missed the most thrilling skiing in the east in not mentioning Mount Washington’s Tuckerman Ravine. Not chairs or gondolas to the top but the ride down is amazing. But you’ll have to wait until April to try the runs and then deal with the avalanches.
George
Comment by Cliff Calderwood on 9 January 2010:
Well George, Tuckerman Ravine isn’t for everybody – expert only – and then you have to have nerves of steel and be in great shape to climb the mountain in snow. I have not skied Mount Washington but thought about making the trek in the spring just to watch others.
Feel free to share your experience with others here.
Cliff
Comment by Kathy Tremblay on 15 January 2010:
Hi, I’d like to respond to Nick P who was wondering where a good beginner slope is. First of all, don’t worry about looking silly on the slope, Nick! Everyone is or was a beginner at some point!
Anyway, I live in Randolph, NH – about 40 minutes from Bretton Woods, and since I am not much into skiing, that is the mountain I found most “soothing” and comfortable as a beginner. It’s also a beautiful mountain, and depending where you are staying, it’s easy to get to and a pretty drive (on a good-weather day!).
I also know that King Pine in Madison (just south of North Conway) has some great beginner slopes that I have felt very comfortable on. It’s not a large ski area, but definitely a nice one.
I hope that helps a little!
Kath
Comment by Cliff Calderwood on 18 January 2010:
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your information – that’s what I call a valuable post.
Comment by Gatwick airport parking on 26 January 2010:
We see literary thousands of skiers passing through the car park at Gatwick all heading for Europe and Canada but very few to the states nowadays.
Do you have inconsistent snow levels from year to year because it looks fantastic
Comment by Cliff Calderwood on 27 January 2010:
Hi David,
The northeast – New England and New York can be inconsistent when it comes to snowfall although most of the larger resorts have snowmaking equipment. But the skiing out west in the Rockies is as good as anywhere else in North America and Europe – maybe cost?
Comment by Louise W on 29 January 2010:
@Cliff thanks! I am also new to ski as Nick. So according to you The Massachusetts and Connecticut ski resorts are best for amateur ski like me. I will defietly visit these resorts. Thanks for advice